Poetry: ‘The Quarrel’ by Maxine Kumin. Ideal for National Poetry Day! A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on The Quarrel by Maxine Kumin. This detailed presentation analyses language and puctuation features at word level, there is thesaurus work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. Includes the opportunity for peer assessment with target setting and review slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3. Includes worksheet with poem and space for pupils’ responses to the poem. Slide 2 starter could be printed out for pupils or they could copy the spidergram into their books.

Pupils interrogate a painting as a whole class, using questions to infer and deduce a narrative. They zoom in on details of the image in order to create descriptive detail. They then create the "story" behind the painting. The pupils could write a paragraph of the story initially without any teacher led interrogation, then once the image is thoroughly analysed they could produce an improved version to show progression. This could be self/peer assessed at each stage. The plenary creates a chance to consider the skills involved and how they link to descriptive and narrative writing. Worksheet which includes the image for pupils to make notes on also attached.

Poetry analysis: ‘Text’ and ‘Quickdraw’ by Carol Ann Duffy. Detailed powerpoint with leading questions and colour coded for pupils to effectively interrogate and compare both poems.

A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on Dino Thought by Jane Yolen. Illustrated copy of the poem attached. The presentation analyses repetition, rhyme and onomatopoeia, there is word level dictionary and thesaurus work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. There is a peer/self assessment and target setting slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3.

This is a GCSE resource on The Manhunt by Simon Armitage for use after reading the poem (poem attached) These resources (5 in total) explore PEE formulas, the poet's perspective, semantic fields and themes, leading up to an essay which is then self assessed using grade criteria sheets. The sequence of tasks is clearly organised. Pupils will need copies of the poem, the PEE formula worksheet and the Task 4 slide which has a word cloud of the poem on it. They are tasked to organise the words into groups. This is best done visually via colour coding. The lesson, or lessons as it can definitely stretch to more than one, is engaging and will appeal to a variety of learners to enable them to more easily interrogate the poem. New GCSE grades 1-9 on powerpoint. Assessment/target setting sheets have previous A-G grades. As they are still in flux, I thought I would leave them to suit individual and school preferences; they can be easily changed.

Poetry analysis: ‘Text’ and ‘Quickdraw’ by Carol Ann Duffy. Detailed powerpoint with leading questions and colour coding for pupils to effectively interrogate and compare both poems. Two differentiated image sort worksheets (one with some quotations) to track the poem. Copy onto card and cut up. Once they have filled in the quotations, get them to organise into two categories, love and conflict; this will help them to understand the extended metaphor and identify semantic fields. Ideal for lower ability. Plenary sheet cloze activity which links directly into the learning objectives and assessment criteria.

Narrative planning sheet. With labelled sections and space for pupils to make notes and plan a story. This has been used to create collaborative stories in pairs and on a carousel so that pupils get to contribute to a range of story plans of other pupils in the class. Most effective when enlarged to A3. Images and key words tick list focusing on descriptive techniques. Engaging and fun.

A detailed analysis of parent/child relationships in Romeo and Juliet, Caitrin by Gillian Clarke and What has happened to Lulu? by Charles Causley. Originally made for WJEC English Literature Unit 3 (poetry and drama literary heritage) but could be used to analyse these texts individually.

An Inspector Calls: revision of themes and social and historical context. This is a highly visual and interactive presentation with a PEE formula card sort activity. Pupils review SHC and make notes, make links between images and themes in AIC then complete the PEE formula card sort (in pairs or individually). Now they have PEE formulas modelled, they continue by creating 3 of their own (quotations are provided) This work is then peer assessed, then the plenary uses images to review themes. Engaging, visual and effective.

Halloween starter activities (2 worksheets) One worksheet has 5 cloze questions considering "which witch". Starter 2 has a table for pupils to make 5 acrostic poems with key words from Halloween. Colourful and fun as starters linked to Halloween. KS2 and 3.

Romeo and Juliet: detailed analysis of love in Act 1 Sc 5. Includes a copy of the scene. KS4. Encourages pupils to highlight and annotate the script, consider themes and to interrogate the text thoroughly in preparation for essay writing. Highly visual and colour-coded analysis for maximum impact with word level and dictionary work.

A Christmas Carol Visual: plot and Scrooge's character development (with significant quotations) A power point and worksheet with images in chronological order to discuss as a whole class and for pupils to make notes on plot, Scrooge's character, themes and the author's message. Highly visual so ideal for low ability and visual learners. Scaffolded questions at the end of the worksheet as a plenary to explain how Scrooge's character changes.

Descriptive writing: Winter. The power point includes: a starter, an extract from Storms of Silence by Joe Simpson which is analysed at word and whole text level, an opportunity for pupils to improve their work to show progression, a skills slide, a planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Highly visual and engaging.

A Christmas Carol: Poverty and Children (Scrooge and The Ghost of Christmas Present) Background social and historical context about The Poor Law, The Workhouse and prisons and detailed analysis of the extract where Scrooge sees the "two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable" Worksheet to accompany the power point and a discursive essay with tips for success on the final slide.

A Christmas Carol: Marley's Ghost and The Ghost of Christmas Past. Quotation comparison chart with space for pupils to make a comparison and then write an explanation.

An Inspector Calls SQUID sort activity. Explores guilt and culpability for the death of Eva Smith. Worksheet with 3 SQUID (statement, quotation, unpick, infer, develop) paragraphs jumbled up. Photocopy on to card, cut up and get pupils to rearrange. Ideal as a starter or a penary for modelling effective textual analysis.